This is a light hearted collection of quips, anecdotes, and aphorisms that slyly feeds the reader some serious comments on the state of medical practice and clinical research. Everyone involved in, and indeed all of us who have ever had dealings with, the medical profession will find this dictionary entertaining and enlightening. The author swiftly demolishes popular myths and clichés, delivers ironic interpretations of medical jargon and verbiage, and in all of his definitions entertains the reader with his devilishly eloquent observations on the all too recognisable follies of human behaviour. An outrageously overdue, flatteningly iconoclastic, listing of the pomposities, pretensions, and pretences which decorate the medical profession. Dr O’Donnell does the job deftly and wittily. This is neither a dictionary in any usual sense nor a collection of quotations with easy access for items to embellish an after dinner speech, for there is no index. But it is fun for brief browsing. It might be welcomed in a doctor’s Christmas stocking.

Authors: Michael O’Donnell
Publishers: BMJ Publishing Group
Date of Publication: 1997
No. of pages: 209